Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wood treatment, and, more particularly, to removing stains from wood and providing the wood with a finish.
Description of the Prior Art
When wood becomes discolored by fungus, molds, and other organisms, its quality and commercial value suffer, and its uses reduce to a few minor applications. A product exists known as wood bleach, but this product presents a number of problems. First, wood bleach does not completely remove discoloration. Wood bleach poses serious problems with respect to dimensional stability such as shrinkage, grain-raising, and color reversion. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided that removes discoloration to a greater extent than prior art wood treating techniques. It would also be desirable if a composition and method were provided that reduces problems of dimensional stability of the wood that occur with the use of conventional techniques for removing biological staining.
Another conventional approach to eliminate unsightly biological staining is to cover the biological stains with a stain sealer. However, a stain sealer not only covers over undesirable biological stains, stain sealers also cover over important features in the wood that are desirable. For example, a stain sealer can obscure or matte the surface. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided that reduced biological stains on wood without obscuring or matting the surface of the wood.
Throughout the years, in addition to the prior art methods discussed above, a number of innovations have been developed relating to bleaching stains from wood materials, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,423,283; 3,652,407; 4,144,089; 4,938,842; and 5,013,404.
More specifically, with the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089, the above-cited patents disclose methods of bleaching wood pulp. The methods employ large containers in which the wood pulp and the bleaching agents are added together and mixed. The objective is to completely bleach the wood pulp through and through. Such methods are not useful in treating solid wood so at to treat just the surface of the wood without disturbing dimensional stability and with providing enhanced surface properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089 discloses a process for bleaching wooden articles. In the process, the articles are sequentially treated in a sequence of work stations by sodium carbonate, a hydrogen peroxide mist, and a weak acid, with intermediate drying operations. There are a number of disadvantages associated with the device disclosed in this patent. For one thing, a group of large work stations are provided, and the treated article is moved from one station to another. For another thing, the articles that are treated are immersed in baths of liquid treating agents. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided that permits a stationary wooden object to be treated without moving the wooden object. It would also be desirable if a composition and method were provided that permits a stationary wooden object to be treated to remove biological stains by brushing or spraying the object.
Another problem associated with the bleaching process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089 is that a plurality of bleaching agents are employed in a plurality of sequentially applied bleaching steps. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided for bleaching wooden articles that employs a single bleaching step.
Yet another problem associated with the bleaching process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089 is that there is no disclosure of steps to be taken to preserve dimensional or surface properties of the treated articles during the bleaching process. Apparently, if dimensional or surface properties are to be considered, they are to be considered after the bleaching process has been completed. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided for treating wooden articles that provides treatment for surface properties, other than biological stains, during a bleaching process.
In the bleaching process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089, the wooden article is moved from station to station to be treated successively by different treating agents at each station. It would be desirable, however, if a stationary, wooden article could be treated at one location by a plurality of different treating agents.
In the bleaching process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,089, separate treating agents are employed at separate stations because the treating agents would be incompatible with one another if they were mixed together. In contrast, if plural treating agents were compatible with one another, then the plural treating agents could be mixed together and applied to the wooden article in one application step. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided for treating wood that included plural ingredients that are compatible with one another and that can be applied in one treating step.
Although two treating agents may be compatible with one another in a single application step, it is possible that, for a number of reasons, the two compatible treating agents should be separated from one another during storage, but that they should be mixed together just prior to a single application step. In this respect, it would be desirable if a composition and method were provided for treating wood that kept plural treating agents separate from one another during storage but that combined the treating agents just prior to a single application step.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use bleaching agents for treating wooden surfaces, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a bleaching and finishing composition and method which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) removes discoloration to a greater extent than prior art wood treating techniques; (2)reduces problems of dimensional stability of the wood that occur with the use of conventional techniques for removing biological staining; (3) reduces biological stains on wood without obscuring or matting the surface of the wood; (4) permits a stationary wooden object to be treated without moving the wooden object; (5) permits a stationary wooden object to be treated to remove biological stains by brushing or spraying the object; (6) employs a single bleaching step; (7)provides treatment for surface properties, other than biological stains, during a bleaching process; (8) treats a stationary wooden article at one location by a plurality of different treating agents; (9) includes plural ingredients that are compatible with one another and that can be applied in one treating step; and (10) keeps plural treating agents separate from one another during storage and combines the treating agents just prior to a single application step. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique bleaching and finishing composition and method of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.